Game on. Construction renews.
Chapter 5
You'll be happy to know that it a foreign government who allowed the building to restart, but God himself:
When the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them, 2 then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them supporting them. Ezra 5:1–2
We are to submit to our government (Romans 13), until the Lord tells us otherwise.
Notice the cross-reference to Haggai and Zechariah.
Once they started up again, a Persian bureaucrat (regional governor) showed up and asked them on whose authority they were building. The Jews replied with the name of the builders. I think verse 5 means that God's oversight of the project kept the Persians from interfering until they could hear from king Darius. Next, Ezra describes the letter to Darius from the officials:
Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with huge stones, and beams are being laid in the walls; and this work is going on with great care and is succeeding in their hands.
Then we asked those elders and said to them thus, ‘Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?’
We also asked them their names so as to inform you, and that we might write down the names of the men who were at their head. Ezra 5:8–10
- They wanted the king to know that they were on the job and overseeing local projects.
- They seemed to be impressed by the large stones.
- They were complimentary of the quality of the work being done.
- They noted that the project was succeeding.
- They wanted Darius to know that they approached the elders of the Jews and wanted the name of the authority who approved the work.
- They emphasized that they were collecting the name of the leaders and Approver for Darius' sake.
The Jews responded honestly and in detail, again honoring the government as long as it was not counter to God:
Thus they answered us, saying, ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.
But because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.
However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.
- They were clear in attributing credit to The One God of heaven and earth for permission to rebuild the Temple, first and foremost.
- They explained that there had been a great temple made by their great king many years before.
- They explained that the Temple was destroyed because of their sins and God was the one who had the Temple torn down at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans (Babylonians).
- Then, and only then, did they get to the earth authority that allowed for the rebuilding of the Temple.
- The Persian bureaucrats honestly repeated the reply of the Jewish elders, entering into the official record the story of the Temple of the One True God.
Then the bureaucrats further describe the Jewish elders' response about the modern state of the rebuilding.
Also the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, these King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon and they were given to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. He said to him, “Take these utensils, go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem and let the house of God be rebuilt in its place.” Then that Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem; and from then until now it has been under construction and it is not yet completed.’ Ezra 5:14–16
Sheshbazzar is Zerubbabel's Babylonian name. So again, these bureaucrats are leaving a legal record of God's goodness to his people. Zerubbabel was made governor, and send back with extremely valuable material and told to place it in the rebuilt temple.
Now the letter has laid out the response from the Jewish leader, the letter writers get to the heart of the matter in present day:
“Now if it pleases the king, let a search be conducted in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, if it be that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send to us his decision concerning this matter.” Ezra 5:17
So while the letters writers were accurate in their repeating of the Jewish elders' response, they were also suspicious of it. They recommended that the current king go look through the records to confirm if Cyrus actual decreed these things. And even beyond that, they asked what the current king decided on the matter of the temple being rebuilt. In other words, if they lied about Cyrus, that's probably a capital offense and maybe the current king doesn't care what Cyrus decreed.
Chapter 6
Chapter 6 opens with Darius decreeing a search be made in the archives. On a side note, I think it's interesting that the archive was stored with the treasures in Babylon. The words of the kings were so important they were stored under guard with the gold. Even previous kings. Somehow, history being that precious seems important. They had a whole fortress for the treasures. Very cool.
A Ryrie footnote specifies that the fortress was in a city at 6,000 feet in elevation—making it conducive for preserving the papyrus and leather scrolls.
They found Cyrus's memorandum from his first year on the throne.
In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: ‘Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits; Ezra 6:3
- Notice that he calls it the house of God at Jerusalem. He affirms God as The God, no a god or the god of the Jews, but God.
- He specifies that sacrifices will occur here, which would be one of the things other people would object to the most, preferring offerings for their own deities. It seems like Cyrus knew he had to specify what would happen at the rebuilt temple. It wasn't decoration.
- He even give dimensions, so others couldn't try to restrict what was to be built.
He goes on to describe the stones and lumber—additional building details.
And the big one, he commands it to be paid for out of the treasury!
He also included the command to release the very valuable Temple instruments taken by Nebuchadnezzar.
Ryrie's footnote explains that there are more details here than in the public proclamation found in Chapter 1 because this was an official memorandum. It sounds like Chapter 1 was the press release summary, but this was the document.
Having read Cyrus' memorandum, Darius has this to say to the current day bureaucrats who were attempting to harass the Jews:
“Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and your colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, keep away from there.
Leave this work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site.
Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what you are to do for these elders of Judah in the rebuilding of this house of God: the full cost is to be paid to these people from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces beyond the River, and that without delay. Ezra 6:6–8
Please, please note God's provision and protection. If the people of Judah (or even the northern tribes of Israel) had trusted the Lord in their impossible circumstances, God would have made a way, like he did for this rag tag band of remnants. a mere 50,000 people, spread out over the former land of Judah were able to accomplish this project paid and protected for by the Persian government because they saw the mistakes of their predecessors and their held tight to God. Very inspiring to read what God did for them, using the current, reigning power.
Here's more provision from God through Darius:
Whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and anointing oil, as the priests in Jerusalem request, it is to be given to them daily without fail, that they may offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. Ezra 6:9–10
It wasn't just the Temple they were providing for, but the actual items for worship and life. He confirmed that it was okay for these people to sacrifice to God. Not a god or their god, but God. Ryrie points out in a footnote that these new provisions would be coming from the regional taxes. That means that the "Karen" that complained and wrote the letter to Darius would now lode a portion of his taxes to pay for these things. His attempt to mess with the Jews cost him person treasure.
Here the penalty he imposed for those who went against his decree:
And I issued a decree that any man who violates this edict, a timber shall be drawn from his house and he shall be impaled on it and his house shall be made a refuse heap on account of this. Ezra 6:11
Talk about adding teeth to your law. This wasn't a grand gesture. He meant it and added the full weight of his brutal kingdom behind it.
Here's how Darius wraps up his decree:
May the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who attempts to change it, so as to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be carried out with all diligence!” Ezra 6:12
Darius actually lifts up the name of the Lord by stating that he trusts God to curse anyone who goes against the house of the Lord. So not only did Darius impose human consequences for disobedience to the decree, but he trusts God to intervene and dethrone any leader who does not comply. Darius clearly trusted in the God worshiped by Daniel.
To their credit, the Persian government officials who started this did carry out Darius' decree.
And the elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. This temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. Ezra 6:14–15
Praise be to the living God for His protection and provision. His will will be done and He'll use anyone He wants to make it happen. including three Persian Kings from a brutal empire. Ryrie says the Temple was complete March 12, 515 BC.
Once complete, the people celebrated and made sacrifices. Then they dedicated the priests and Levites to work in the new Temple, based on the words of Moses. There were fewer people and fewer sacrifices than Solomon's Temple, but they were faithful and succeeded without a powerful king, such as David or Solomon.
Next, they celebrated the Passover, the event that God seems to use to punctuate special events throughout the history of the Jews. the priests were purified and the lambs were slaughtered. And the Jews and the converts all came together to seek the lord and eat the Passover.
And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. Ezra 6:22
"the Lord had caused them to rejoice"
Joy comes from the Lord.
Amen
Next the Blue Letter Bible chronological reading list sends me to Psalm 137 and then interrupts this book for the other prophets from the first wave of the remnant that returns: Haggai and Zechariah, plus Esther before we continue on to Ezra's wave of returning remnants.
Psalm 137
The psalm opens with the people of Judah lamenting their subjugation by the people of Babylon—being mocked and sarcastically being told to sing their songs of Zion.
They go on to question how they can sing God's songs in a foreign land; but also affirm that they cannot forget their land and exalt it anymore than they they can forget how to use the hands and tongues.
Then they remember they people who have done wrong by them, such as Edom and Babylon and they heap blessings on those who will eventually come along and pay the evil people back for their poor treatment. In their rage and grief they even imagine killing off the future generations of their enemies.
I'm assuming this is included here in the chronological reading list because we see that the psalmist faith is rewarded as the end of the Babylonian captivity brought about the return to their beloved Jerusalem and the raising of the second temple.
Weeping comes in the darkest hours, but joy comes in the morning.
Amen.